Top 10 People, Programs & Events For Leveling Up CX Leadership
Ever feel like you’re getting swept up in the day-to-day of your CX role—and losing track of the bigger-picture trends and strategic changes going on in the industry?
Not to worry. In this article, I’ll introduce you to a carefully selected group of people, programs, and events that are sure to enrich your career and enhance your CX leadership skills.
Whether you have time to fly to a conference, take an online course, or simply follow a few CX thought leaders on LinkedIn, consider using this list as inspiration to take your CX skills to the next level!
Unmissable CX Leadership Events to Stay Ahead of the Curve
Sure, traveling to a conference is a big commitment—but by bringing the smartest people in the industry together, live events have a way of generating serendipitous connections and helping you access new ways of thinking.
If you only have time for one CX event, make sure it’s one of the following.
1. CX Transformation Assembly
- When? October 10-11, 2023 in Miami, Florida, USA.
- Who's it for? Chief Customer Experience Officers, CX executives, and CX thought leaders.
- Price: Not listed. (Invite Only).
The CX Transformation Assembly is an invitation-only conference aimed at CX executives.
Just like most conferences, the CX Transformation Assembly uses keynote speeches to share high-level research and insights. But even more valuable are the long-term relationships the event creates between Chief Customer Experience Officers and other CX leaders, both casually and via intentional one-on-one meetings.
The event structure is built around interactive activities like think tanks, workshops, and roundtable discussions, offering attendees the chance to interact with their peers and CX experts.
2. The CX Exchange
- When? February 27 - 28, 2024, USA (location revealed upon invitation).
- Who's it for? Senior Customer Experience (CX) decision-makers such as Chief Customer Experience Officers or Chief Customer Officers.
- Price: Not listed. (Invite Only.)
The CX Exchange brings senior Customer Experience decision-makers together to network, share valuable insights, and talk strategy.
Rather than entry-level CX skills, the CX Exchange is focused on executive management issues like:
- Learning the C-Suite jargon that helps you increase your departmental budget.
- Inspiring loyalty in both your employees and your customers.
- Presenting data in a way your CEO will love.
Speakers at the CX Exchange include high-level CX professionals at Fortune 500 companies, large nonprofits, and governmental organizations.
3. Reuters Events: Customer Service & Experience East 2023
- When and Where? 7-8 November 2023, New York City, New York, USA.
- Who's it for? Senior execs, innovative leaders, and industry-shaping professionals.
- Price: Passes range from $2199 to $3,499.
Does your organization have the tools to truly delight your customers? Amidst a landscape of mercurial technological trends and economic turbulence, service & experience leaders must remain focused on the fundamentals of success; understanding customer needs, exceeding customer expectations, and doubling down on customer centricity.
Reuters Events: Customer Service & Experience East 2023 brings together 300+ CCOs and senior leaders from the world’s most influential brands to shape service & experience as disciplines across industry lines. Engage in dynamic discussions, participate in interactive workshops, and network with like-minded professionals who are passionate about enhancing customer experiences.
You will have the opportunity to learn from 50+ world-class speakers as they explore the roadblocks and silos preventing a seamless customer experience in your organization. Through real-world case studies and networking with industry experts, you will gain the actionable strategies, tools, and insights to effectively demonstrate ROI, implement data-driven insights, and drive service efficiency throughout your organization.
Companies taking the stage in New York so far include Verizon, Hilton, Aflac, Wells Fargo, Citizens Bank, and many more.
4. Adobe Summit
- When & Where? March 26–28 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
- Who's it for? Adobe users, CX professionals, and marketers focused on digital experiences.
- Price: $2,095 (in-person). Virtual attendance is free.
If you’re looking to focus on digital experience—and don’t mind a dose of celebrity, too—the Adobe Summit is the event for you.
As the largest event organizer on this list, Adobe doesn’t shy away from using its budget to put together a star-studded conference. Past events have featured notable speakers like:
- Academy Award-winner Aaron Sorkin
- NFL star Peyton Manning
- Comedian Tig Notaro
But despite the VIPs in attendance, the content of the event is focused firmly on the digital side of the customer experience, with past talks like “From Content Creation to Personalization” and “How Adobe is Transforming Omnichannel Customer Engagement.”
If you can’t make it to the event in person, you can attend digitally or watch any of the sessions on-demand later.
CX Trailblazers You Can't Afford to Ignore
Short of attending an event, one of the best ways you can provide yourself with a steady stream of customer experience inspiration is by following the right CX influencers.
Be sure to hit that LinkedIn Follow button!
5. Ian Moyse
If you’re a CX professional in the SaaS space, don’t miss the chance to follow Ian Moyse.
Ian’s background is in social selling and cloud technology, and he’s a board member of Eurocloud, FAST, and the Cloud Industry Forum. His keynote speeches and writing touch on topics like SaaS sales, customer experience, and leadership.
Check out his writing on his blog and LinkedIn.
6. Leslie O’Flahavan
For contact center professionals looking to up their game, look no further than Leslie O’Flahavan.
Leslie is focused on helping people communicate better with customers. Through her courses and consulting, she’s transformed the writing skills of many support center staff and customer service agents. Leslie trains agents to craft effective messages and maintain comprehensive libraries of canned responses. She's also the co-author of "Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail: A Writing Workbook for Customer Service Agents."
Learn more from Leslie on her website or follow her on LinkedIn.
7. Kristi Faltorusso
Kristi Faltorusso is the Chief Customer Officer at ClientSuccess, where she oversees the Customer Success, Support, and Service teams.
Kristi is known for transforming Customer Success organizations in hyper-growth B2B SaaS companies. She’s led CS and CX teams at companies like BrightEdge, Sisense, BetterCloud, and IntelliShift—and she’s also used her knowledge to coach CSMs and design curricula for the PracticalCSM certification program.
To gain from Kristi's extensive experience, follow her updates on LinkedIn.
These are just a few of the many CX leaders who can provide invaluable insights for those in the industry. For more, click here.
CX Programs to Futureproof Your Skills
CX is changing fast. To ensure your skills stay up to date, check out one of the following valuable programs.
8. The Certified Customer Experience Professional
The Certified Customer Experience Professional (CXPA) program was the first industry-wide certification allowing CX professionals to demonstrate their knowledge. It continues to be widely respected, helping CX professionals advance in their careers.
To get certified, you’ll need to pass an exam covering topics like:
- Customer Insights and Understanding
- Customer Experience Strategy
- Metrics, Measurements, and ROI
- Design, Implementation, and Innovation
Not just anyone can get a CXPA credential, though. You need three years of full-time CX-specific work experience, and passing the exam typically requires weeks or months of studying.
- Who's it best for? CX professionals looking to advance their careers with a well-recognized certification.
- Cost: A $149 application fee plus a $645 exam fee.
- Online or in-person? Online or in-person.
9. BenchmarkPortal’s Contact Center Manager Certification
BenchmarkPortal offers a comprehensive course designed for contact center professionals. The course covers best practices for managing a contact center team, technology, software, and daily operations.
BenchmarkPortal maintain’s the world’s largest contact center database, allowing you to benchmark your performance against competitors metric by metric.
- Who's it best for? Contact center managers.
- Cost: Not listed.
- Online or in-person? Virtual and on-site options.
10. Certified Customer Success Manager (CCSM) by SuccessCOACHING
SuccessCOACHING’s CSM training programs include all the training and certifications you’ll need to advance in your career as a CSM. The curriculum includes interviews with industry leaders, real-world exercises, and access to comprehensive learning resources like workbooks and video courses.
Their offerings are organized by career stage—from “Level 1” for entry-level CSMs to “Level 5” for advanced CS professionals—making it easy for both beginners and experts to get value.
- Who's it best for? Anyone from beginners to seasoned CSMs and CS leaders.
- Cost: From $99-$529 per year.
- Online or in-person? Online.
Explore more customer experience certification programs here.
Unlock Your CX Potential
Times are changing fast. For CX professionals, it’s more critical than ever to keep up with the latest strategies and connect with other CX leaders. Use the events, people, and programs shared in this article as fuel to focus on the next stage of your career and take your CX leadership skills to new heights.
Ready to learn more about developing your CX leadership skills? Don’t miss the chance to subscribe to our newsletter and get our latest tips on perfecting the customer experience.